


Wish I were Heather

by briefoptimisticspaceaffair



Series: Strawberries [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:28:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26843638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/briefoptimisticspaceaffair/pseuds/briefoptimisticspaceaffair
Summary: Percy had very nice shoulders
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson
Series: Strawberries [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1958122
Comments: 4
Kudos: 103





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Conan Gray song Heather

When Nico was sixteen he met his sister, Hazel. His half-sister. She was lovely and also very dead. Nico may have broken a few very important rules and sort of maybe definitely resurrected Hazel. It had actually been pretty easy at the time, surprisingly no happy meals were involved. Although that was most likely due to Thanos being chained up in Alaska. But still. Resurrection. All by himself. 

So obviously Nico wanted to brag about his new awesome powerfulness. And then he didn’t. Nico had maybe ended up ugly sobbing into a corner of Percy Jackson’s T-shirt, but there were no witnesses to this event so Nico is not admitting anything. Ever. (Percy had very nice shoulders). 

Sure everything was terrible and the only nice things in Nico’s life were Hazel, (Percy) and Mrs O’Leary Percy’s (and Nico’s- they shared a dog!) hellhound. Everything was still the worst. It didn’t suck so much when Nico visited Hazel at her camp. But the Romans were clearly uncomfortable with his presence. And then there was Percy (gods Percy). When Nico was around Percy Nico actually felt alive. He didn’t feel like a half shadow flicking in and out of death. Nico felt human. It was nice. And it was the worst thing that had ever happened. 

Because Percy was drop dead gorgeous. And Straight. And dating Annabeth. So Nico did the mature thing and avoided Camp Half-Blood like the plague. Until he didn’t because Nico’s biggest enemy was himself. 

Percy had instantly noticed Nico loitering around the edge of the camp by the Big House. He jogged down the steps, his dark hair flopping up and down like stupid sexy dark waves. Nico glared at Percy’s hair. He had to focus on something other than Percy’s firm muscles and sexy shoulders and beautiful face and gorgeous sea green eyes. Honestly the orange camp shirt was a horrible colour, vile and loud. But Percy made the t-shirt look gold. Somehow Percy managed to make the vile t-shirt look so good Nico was sure it would sell amazingly if the camp t-shirt was a common item in stores. And if Percy was a model. Nico was a hundred percent sure that the entirety of the Aphrodite cabin was jealous of Percy’s ability to make a potato sack look Gucci or Armani. 

Nico did not know how he ended up picking strawberries with Percy. But he was picking strawberries. With Percy. Who was terrible at picking fruit, half of Percy’s box was just leaves. Percy also kept on staring at Nico. His eyes were glued to Nico, Nico had experimented moving in zig zags down the strawberry rows. Percy’s eyes followed Nico’s every move. Which probably explained the large percentage of leaf to strawberries in Percy’s box. 

Percy sits with Nico at dinner. Right next to Nico. Their arms are brushing and Nico can’t breathe. Percy has a weird selection of food on his plate, like he hadn’t been paying attention to what he had been doing. Half of a burger bun, a kitkat with ketchup inexplicably all over the wrapping. But he has his constant blue coke by his elbow, so Nico tries not to worry about Percy’s eating habits.  
Percy doesn't say anything. He gets ketchup all over his hands. Nico gives up and silently sneaks off to go stare at the night sky. Percy runs after Nico. Actually runs. Nico has to take a moment to channel every cool uncaring bone in his body so he doesn't just have a break down right there and then. His jacket helps, it never fails to make Nico feel awesome. 

Nico is staring at the night sky and Percy is staring at him. Nico has no idea how this happened and he’s babbling. This is the most he’s spoken in a while. Percy’s not even trying to hide the way he has his eyes glued to the side of Nico’s face. Nico gathers some courage and sneaks a look at Percy. He’s pretty sure Percy is staring at his mouth, which Nico cannot handle. 

And Nico just sort of jumps off a cliff. “I used to have this stupid crush on you-” Nico hears himself say his heart his beating so loud and Nico is screaming in his head as his entire body tenses. And then Nico must land in the sea because he’s pretty sure Percy just asked if he could kiss him. Nico thinks he should jump off cliffs more often, so he says “yes”. 

Percy gently presses their lips together. It’s soft and Nico’s heart trembles. Percy moves his mouth and nips at Nicos bottom lip. Nico can’t feel his knees. Percy tilts his head, his hand on Nico’s jaw and Nico is introduced to the sensation of a tongue licking into his mouth. Nico may have moaned loudly. 

Nico hadn’t been able to stop smiling. Several campers had thrown Nico startled looks, but that may have been because Nico was never up this early, He was just so happy, it was ridiculous. Nico felt like his heart had left his body and was hovering over his head doing a dumb dance of joy. Nico practically skipped up the stairs to the big house. Chiron’s grim face greeted Nico.

“Percy Jackson has gone missing” 

Nico’s heart was definitely in his chest, and it really really hurt. 

Percy ran his hands through Nico’s hair. Nico bit back at Percy’s mouth.

Nico swallowed and screwed his eyes up. 

Percy was gone. He had just vanished. They hadn’t even had a proper talk about whatever they were doing. 

Nico splashed some water on his face and met his tired eyes in the mirror. There was a dark bruise on the side of his neck. 

Percy kissed down Nico’s neck sucking at his skin. 

Nico clenched his fists and side stepped into the slight shadow of the bathroom door. He couldn’t stand to be in Camp Half Blood any longer.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been horrible. Nico lost time. He had gone deep underground and surrounded himself with the dead. It was like he was eleven again. But Percy wasn’t dead so Nico told himself to stop moping and then he went hunting. 

There was nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was like Percy had just vanished into thin air. Like he had never even existed. But some of the greek spirits acted shifty, so Nico knew that something had happened to Percy. 

Then one day Nico got mugged by an old lady. 

The last nymph Nico had spoken to about Percy had mentioned a bad feeling about the Oakland Hills. Sure the nymph was greek and the Roman Caldecott was basically right there, so it wasn’t surprising that she had a ‘bad feeling’. But Nico was, well lets just say the nymph hadn’t been scared of Nico, she had felt concerned. 

So Nico was aimlessly wandering about with a poodle shaped Mrs O’Leary. The small scattering of other people had thinned out as he walked until it was just him and Mrs O’Leary. Mrs O’Leary had gone to do her business. And then the old lady had literally come out of nowhere hitting Nico with her stick yelling at him to get lost. After Nico had recovered from the surprise of getting hit. He thought maybe she was mad Mrs O’Leary was pooping on the grass. Maybe it was a favourite spot of hers. 

“Hey whoa, I’m sorry. I’ll get rid of the poo”. Nico held his hands up peacefully and called Mrs O’Leary. But the old lady didn’t let up, bashing Nico’s elbow. She had glared at Nico and hissed.

“Go away Nico Di Angelo”. The old lady had said her eyes flickering with power. Nico and Mrs O’Leary had shadow travelled out of there. 

But there was something out there that something powerful wanted kept hidden. Nico fully intend to keep digging. Like actual digging. This time Nico went underground. His skeletons pointed Nico to a protected area, but before Nico could investigate there had been an explosion and the tunnel had caved. Nico had been fine, if a little dirty. 

Nico had poked and prodded at the odd space to no avail. Nico finally thought he should get some back up. Get Annabeth involved. Maybe some of the other campers. 

Nico had been walking down the street to Sally Jackson’s house. He visited Mrs Jackson every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon at her insistence. And also because it was nice to see another human being who was nice and friendly and offered hugs. Nico had brought cookies. It was his mum Marie’s recipe. 

The old lady from Oakland had appeared around a trash can. Waving her stick and yelling. Nico had taken a few steps back thinking of the cookies. Then the old lady shone and changed into a different form. It was Hera, Nico bit back a nasty swear.  
“Nico Di Angelo, you have been digging around far too much”. Hera said boomingly. Nico didn’t reply. “I’ll give you this, you are close. But I warn you when you do find him you will not be able to tell him anything of the past.” Nico felt a little confusion, he really hoped she was talking about Percy. And Nico also really hoped she was not. “If you do, Percy Jackson will not survive”. Oh shit she was. 

With her kryptic warning said Hera disappeared. At least Nico’s cookies had survived. Mrs Jackson (It’s Sally dear) had insisted Nico stay overnight. She said he looked far too pale. 

Nico went back to Camp Half Blood. Other campers had also been looking for Percy and not had much luck. Apparently the closest they had got was at the grand canyon where Annabeth had beaten up a wind spirit. Then it had been quiet. Nothing much happened. Nico went to see Mrs Jackson. He visited Hazel. He went to Camp Half Blood and picked strawberries with Lou. 

Nico had been visiting Hazel when it happened. Camp Jupiter was weird. It always felt like there was a layer of pins and needles around Nico when he was at the camp. And Octavius, pale bastard, kept on waving decapitated soft toys at Nico moaning that death followed in his wake. Yeah no shit. Hazel had made a new friend. It was Percy. 

“You will not be able to tell him anything of the past” Hera had warned. “If you do, he will not survive”. Nico couldn’t feel his body. His head was a loud buzzing mess. Percy. He was okay. Percy smiled at something Frank had said. He smiled. It dazzled Nico. It was like a knife to his heart. 

After that Nico had maybe a bit of a panic attack. 

Then Nico had been sitting on top of the Temple of Pluto at Camp Jupiter. It was Hazel’s favorite hang out spot. It was nice and peaceful. And Nico had been feeling much better. Percy had appeared. Nico was torn between saying hi or running away. Percy had decided for him, grinning and saying “Hey”. 

Percy had been, well Percy. Charming and sweet. Friendly and just so Percy. It hurt when Percy asked what Nico’s name was. And then Percy had groaned and clutched at his head with both hands. He had gone horribly pale. “If you do, he will not survive,” Hera had warned. Icy fear swept over Nico, and he had fled.


End file.
